Taiwan packs a lot into a short trip: imperial treasures and a skyscraper view in Taipei, night markets where dinner is a string of snacks, old gold mining towns and sky lanterns in the hills, and centuries-old forts and temples in the south. Taipei is the base for most first visits, with Jiufen, Shifen and Tamsui as day trips. The high-speed rail reaches Tainan in about 1 hour 50 minutes, and Kaohsiung's Zuoying Station is about 12 minutes further on.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first trip, best first, each with a practical tip on timing or booking. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Taipei, Tainan and Kaohsiung, city by city, then answers to the questions travelers ask most.
The 18 best things to do in Taiwan
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- 1Taipei
See imperial treasures at the National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum holds the world's largest collection of Chinese art treasures, more than 600,000 objects spanning nearly 5,000 years of Chinese history. Most of them were part of the imperial collection, which began over 1,000 years ago in the early Song dynasty. Exhibition Hall I is usually open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. To get there, take the MRT to Shilin Station, then bus R30 from Exit 1, which stops at the museum's B1 entrance after about 15 minutes.
Tip: Leave large bags in the checkroom, since backpacks and luggage bigger than A3 paper are not allowed in the halls, and skip flash, tripods and selfie sticks.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); National Palace Museum; National Palace Museum (official); National Palace Museum (official)Exhibition Hall I, regular ticket: NT$350 (about $11) · Normally closed Mondays; check special openingsLast verified
- 2Taipei
Ride to the 89th floor of Taipei 101
Taipei 101 was designed by the architect C.Y. Lee around the number 8, long considered lucky in Chinese culture: the tower is built from stacked units of eight floors, said to resemble rising bamboo. Its observatory elevators set a Guinness record for speed in 2004 and reach the 89th floor in 37 seconds. The indoor deck sits 382 m above the ground with views over the whole Taipei Basin, and the 660-tonne wind damper that steadies the tower hangs on show at the same level. MRT Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station is right beside the building, and the ticket counter is on 1F of the office tower.
Tip: Buy full-price tickets online to save time, and add the outdoor 101st floor if the day is clear, since the upper decks depend on the weather.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); TAIPEI 101 (official); Taipei 101General ticket, adult: NT$600 (about $18) · Buy a general ticketLast verified
- 3Taipei
Climb Elephant Mountain for the classic skyline view
Elephant Mountain, or Xiangshan, is the highest point of the Four Beasts Mountain trail system, and its stone steps lead to some of the best views down onto Taipei 101 and the Xinyi district. From Exit 2 of MRT Xiangshan Station, walk along Lane 150, Section 5 of Xinyi Road to the trailhead at Lingyun Temple. About 15 minutes of steady climbing brings you to the first viewing platforms, with the tower seemingly close enough to touch. Keep going past the Six Giant Rocks for more viewpoints, then loop back down. The city counts it as an international tourist trail, used by about 2,000 to 3,000 people a day.
Tip: Go in the hour before sunset so you can watch the city lights come on, and bring water and a flashlight for the steps down.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taipei City Geotechnical Engineering Office (official, Chinese text); Geotechnical Engineering Office, Taipei City GovernmentPartial closures during works; follow signed detours - 4Taipei
Snack your way down Raohe Street Night Market
Taiwan's night markets are where most visitors meet the island's snack culture, from oyster omelets to braised pork rice, and Raohe Street is one of Taipei's designated tourist night markets. The market runs for about 600 m along Raohe Street in Songshan, an old trading area once called Xikou, and was set up by the city in 1987 to bring business back to the street. You enter under a decorated archway and work your way through food stalls and small shops; many places serve herb-steamed spare ribs, a winter favorite. It sits near Songshan Railway Station, and stalls generally open from 5:00 PM until midnight.
Tip: Arrive hungry around opening time on a weekday, share several small dishes rather than one big meal, and carry small bills.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Tourism Administration, TaiwanPay as you go - 5Taipei
Watch daily worship at Longshan Temple
Longshan Temple in Wanhua was built in 1740, during the Qing dynasty, and is dedicated to Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, alongside many other deities. It has been restored several times after natural disasters and damage, and it is now a national heritage site. Look up at the carved doors and beams, the pair of bronze dragon columns in the front hall and the dragon columns of the middle hall. Regular worshippers crowd in on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month. Afterward, walk the nearby Bopiliao Historic Block, a lane of Qing era shophouses. MRT Longshan Temple Station is about 190 m away.
Tip: Come on the 1st or 15th day of the lunar month to see the temple at its busiest, or on another day for a calmer look at the carvings.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Open 6 AM to 10 PM - 6Taipei
Watch the honor guard at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Completed in 1980, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a 25-hectare complex in central Taipei, built in a palace style in the blue and white of the national flag. The main hall is 70 m tall, and inside sits a 6.3 m bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek. The memorial itself is now a subject of public debate, and the hall describes Taiwan's journey from martial law to democracy. The plaza in front, Democracy Square, saw major student protests after martial law ended in 1987, and today people practice tai chi there. The National Theater and Concert Hall stand on either side.
Tip: Time your visit for the top of the hour between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, when the military honor guard performs its drill for about 15 minutes.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Exhibitions free - 7Taipei
Wander Jiufen's hillside lanes and teahouses
Jiufen, in the hills of New Taipei's Ruifang District, boomed after gold was found nearby in 1890 and faded when mining declined. The film A City of Sadness, which won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, brought it back to life, and its old streets now draw crowds. Jiufen Old Street climbs the slope past stalls selling taro balls, fish balls and herbal rice cakes, with teahouses looking out over the sea toward Keelung. Stop at Shengping Theater, the first theater in northern Taiwan. Tourist shuttle bus 965 runs here from Banqiao, Ximen and Beimen MRT stations and Ruifang Railway Station.
Tip: Go on a weekday and stay into the evening, or book a night in a local inn, so you see the lanes once the day crowds have left.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department (official)Pay as you go - 8Taipei
Release a sky lantern on the Pingxi Line
The Pingxi Branch Line runs 12.9 km up the Keelung River valley from Sandiaoling to Jingtong. It was built in 1918 to carry coal and reopened as a tourist route in 1992. At Shifen, shops and homes sit right beside the tracks, so trains pass within a few steps of the doorways. Lantern shops sell sky lanterns to write your wishes on, and the owners give advice and help with photos. Between Shifen and Dahua stations, Shifen Waterfall is a broad curtain of water nicknamed Taiwan's Niagara Falls, with rainbows in the mist on sunny days. Nearby Houtong, a former coal town, is known for its cats.
Tip: Stay off the tracks except at marked crossings, and plan around the waterfall's hours: it closes at 5:00 PM from October to May and 6:00 PM from June to September.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department (official); Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Pay as you go - 9Taipei
Walk into an old gold mine at Jinguashi
A short bus ride beyond Jiufen, the quiet hillside town of Jinguashi is home to the Gold Museum, Taiwan's first ecomuseum, spread across the old mining settlement. In the Gold Building, once the Taiwan Metal Mining Company's office, the first floor tells the story of a century of mining through old photos and tunnel models, and the second floor shows the famous large gold bar and about 140 mineral specimens. You can put on a helmet and walk into the first stretch of the Benshan Fifth Tunnel, past an old ventilation pipe to a mine cart you can pull. Bus 965 and bus 1062 both stop at Jinguashi.
Tip: Avoid the first Monday of the month, when the museum is closed, and allow extra time to walk between the hillside buildings.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Gold Museum, New Taipei City (official, Chinese text); Gold Museum, New Taipei City (official, Chinese text); New Taipei City Gold Museum; Gold Museum, New Taipei City (official, Chinese text)Full ticket: NT$80 (about $2) · First Monday closure moves to next day if a holidayLast verified
- 10Taipei
See the steaming Thermal Valley in Beitou
Beitou, reached by MRT to Xinbeitou Station, is Taipei's hot spring district. Its spa culture took off under Japanese rule, when Taiwan's first hot spring inn, Tenguan, opened in 1896. Thermal Valley, next to Beitou Park, is one of the main sources of the water: a misty pond of rare green sulfur spring water, once named one of Taiwan's eight scenic spots, with a lakeside path. From MRT Xinbeitou Station it is about a 15-minute walk along the left side of Xinbeitou Park. Also in Beitou, the Beitou Museum is a 1921 inn and Taiwan's largest surviving two-story wooden Japanese-style building.
Tip: Thermal Valley is closed on Mondays, so plan Beitou for another day and finish with a soak at one of the hot spring hotels nearby.
Search tours on KlookSources: Beitou Hot Spring Museum, Taipei City (official); Taipei Water Department; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Free to visit - 11Taipei
Watch the sunset over the river at Tamsui
Tamsui sits where the Tamsui River meets the sea. Overlooking the river mouth stands Fort San Domingo, first built by the Spanish, then rebuilt in stone by the Dutch after they took it in 1642. Locals called it Hongmao Castle, the fort of the red-haired people. In 1867 the British leased it and added a red brick consulate next door. Below, Tamsui Old Street has bakeries, toy shops and snacks such as a-gei, stuffed tofu, and iron eggs, while the 1.5 km Golden Coast riverside walk is where people gather for sunset.
Tip: See the fort in the afternoon, then walk down to the riverfront before sunset; note the fort closes on the first Monday of each month.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Tamsui Historical Museum, New Taipei City (official, Chinese text)Full ticket, also covers the Little White House and Hobe Fort: NT$80 (about $2) · One ticket covers three sitesLast verified
- 12Tainan
Ride the high-speed rail south to Tainan
Taiwan High Speed Rail runs from Taipei to Zuoying in Kaohsiung, so the south is an easy add-on to a Taipei trip. On a typical weekday timetable the fastest trains reach Tainan in under 1 hour 30 minutes, and the all-stop trains take about 2 hours. From Tainan, Zuoying is only about 12 minutes further. To reach the old city from THSR Tainan Station, take the corridor on 2F to the Taiwan Railway Shalun Station, then the Shalun Line train into Tainan Railway Station. Trains have a few non-reserved cars, but reserved seats are the calmer choice.
Tip: Book reserved seats online, especially for weekends and holidays, and look for early-bird discounts when you book well in advance.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Taiwan High Speed Rail; Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government); Taiwan High Speed Rail; Taoyuan City Government Department of Tourism (official) - 13Tainan
Climb the Dutch-era Chihkan Tower in Tainan
Tainan is where Taiwan's development began, and Chihkan Tower is the oldest building in its West Central District. The Dutch built it as Fort Provintia in 1652, and it became the seat of government under Koxinga. Repairs over more than 300 years have given it its present look: inside the walls stand Haisheng Temple, Wenchang Pavilion and Penghu College. On the lawn, a statue shows Koxinga accepting the Dutch surrender, and near the south gate nine imperial stone tablets rest on the backs of turtle-like bixi, said to be sons of the Dragon King. At night the buildings are lit in warm yellow light.
Tip: Come in the late afternoon and stay until dark, when the tower is lit up and the square in front often hosts evening concerts.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Tourism Bureau, Tainan City Government; Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government)Full price ticket: NT$70 (about $2) · Partial restoration affects accessLast verified
- 14Tainan
Explore Anping Old Fort and the banyan Tree House
Anping is where Tainan's Dutch story begins. A Dutch force captured the area in 1624 and finished Fort Zeelandia in 1634; Koxinga took it in 1662 and renamed it Anping. The only Dutch remnant is the southern brick wall outside the front gate, wrapped in old banyan roots, while the white observation tower dates from later repairs. Nearby, the Anping Tree House is a 19th century warehouse of the British firm Tait & Co., its walls and roof now held together by banyan roots, with walkways through the treetops. Finish on Anping Old Street, the first street in Taiwan to be given a name.
Tip: Give Anping half a day, and on the old street look up for the wind lion gods on the rooftops and the sword lions over the doors.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Tourism Bureau, Tainan City Government; Tourism Bureau, Tainan City Government; Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government)Full price ticket: NT$70 (about $2) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 15Tainan
Follow Tainan's temple trail and morning market
Tainan's old streets are full of century-old temples. The Sacrificial Rites Martial Temple, built around 1665, is recognizable by its double saddle roof and long red wall. It was the earliest temple to Guan Di, the god of war and loyalty, and its shrine to Yue Lao, the god of marriage, is the most popular in the city. The Grand Mazu Temple, once a Ming prince's mansion, was the first government-built Mazu temple in Taiwan. Then head to Shuixian Temple Market, around a temple founded in 1703 by harbor merchants, and now known as Tainan's kitchen.
Tip: Start early with a bowl of Tainan beef soup or milkfish porridge, since the beef soup shops open at dawn and close when the day's stock runs out.
Search tours on KlookSources: Tourism Bureau, Tainan City Government; Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government); Tourism Bureau, Tainan City Government; Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government)Free to visit - 16Kaohsiung
Walk through the dragon at the Lotus Pond pagodas
Lotus Pond, on the northern edge of Kaohsiung about 1.6 km from the Zuoying high-speed rail station, is lined with temples. Its best-known sight is the pair of Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at the south end. You enter through the dragon's throat and leave by the tiger's mouth, which is said to turn bad luck into good fortune, and the walls inside are painted with scenes of heaven and hell and of the 24 most dutiful sons. About 700 m north stand the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, completed in 1951 for Guan Gong, with a statue of Guanyin riding a dragon in front.
Tip: Go in the late afternoon, when the setting sun reflects in the pond, and remember the order: in at the dragon, out at the tiger.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Tourism Administration, TaiwanOpen-air lakeside - 17Kaohsiung
Take the ferry to Cijin Island for seafood
Cijin is a long, narrow island off Kaohsiung, and the ferry from Gushan, by the old Hamasen district, is part of the fun. On Miaoqian Road, the Tianhou Temple to the sea goddess Mazu dates back about 300 years, and Cijin Old Street is lined with restaurants serving fresh seafood at simple outdoor tables. Climb to the Cijin Lighthouse, a baroque-style base with an octagonal tower, for a bird's-eye view of the port, then walk out to the beach and seaside park. Back on the Gushan side, the former British Consulate at Takow, built in 1865, was the first formal consulate built by foreigners in Taiwan.
Tip: Pay the ferry with an EasyCard or iPASS, or bring exact cash since the counter gives no change, and note the consulate is closed on Wednesdays.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Kaohsiung City Ferry (official, Chinese text); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City GovernmentPay as you go - 18Kaohsiung
Browse the harbor warehouses of Pier-2 Art Center
Pier-2 Art Center sits on the north bank where the Love River enters Kaohsiung Port. Its 25 old harbor warehouses reopened in 2000 as an arts district, grouped into three clusters named Dayi, Dayong and Penglai along the waterfront bike path. Expect exhibitions, public art, music and street performances, with plenty of space to wander by the water. The Penglai Pier-2 light rail stop is about 260 m away. Also make time for Formosa Boulevard MRT Station and its Dome of Light, a 30 m dome by the artist Narcissus Quagliata, the world's largest public artwork made of individual pieces of colored glass.
Tip: Pair Pier-2 with the Cijin ferry from Gushan, and end the evening at Liuhe Night Market for papaya milk and salt-steamed shrimp.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Some exhibitions ticketed
Every sight, city by city
Cijin Lighthouse
A white octagonal brick lighthouse from 1883, the only one of its kind in Taiwan.Entry: NT$[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookCijin Old Street
Seafood eateries along Miaoqian Road by the Cijin ferry pier, near a Tianhou temple about 300 years old.Entry: Pay as you goFormer British Consulate at Takao
A restored former British consulate in Gushan, opened to visitors in 2013 after three years of work.Entry: Closed Wednesdays except national holidays. Closed WednesdaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookLiuhe Night Market
A night market on Liuhe 2nd Road, known for papaya milk and salt-steamed shrimp.Entry: Pay as you goLotus Pond and the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
Twin pagodas on Zuoying's Lotus Pond, with dragon and tiger entrances visible from the lakeside.Entry: Open-air lakesideSearch tickets and tours on KlookPier-2 Art Center
Old harbor warehouses turned into galleries, shops and public art beside the harbor in Yancheng.Entry: Some exhibitions ticketedAnping Old Fort
Fort Zeelandia, finished by the Dutch in 1634, where a banyan-covered brick wall survives.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on KlookAnping Tree House
An old trading company warehouse taken over by banyan roots, beside the Former Tait & Co. Merchant House.Entry: One ticket covers the Tait merchant houseSearch tickets and tours on KlookChihkan Tower
The site of Dutch Fort Provintia, with later Chinese pavilions and surviving historic walls.Entry: Partial restoration affects accessSearch tickets and tours on KlookSacrificial Rites Martial Temple
A temple to Guan Di built around 1665, one of the official temples where the state held rites.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on KlookShuixian Temple Market
A market around a 1703 temple, known as Tainan's kitchen for its long-established small eateries.Entry: Pay as you goSiaobei Night Market
An indoor night market in North District selling Tainan street food, open every day from noon.Entry: Pay as you goBeitou Thermal Valley
A steaming hot spring pool in a wooded valley, about 15 min on foot from Xinbeitou station.Entry: Free to visit. Closed MondaysSearch tours on KlookBeitou Transitional Market
The temporary home of Beitou Market and its long-running food stalls while the old building is rebuilt.Entry: Pay as you go. Closed MondaysBopiliao Historic Block
A preserved historic block on Kangding Road in Wanhua, a short walk from Longshan Temple.Entry: Closed Mondays. Closed MondaysDalongdong Baoan Temple
A temple to Baosheng Dadi built by settlers from Tongan in Fujian, now a national heritage site.Entry: Open 6:30 AM to 10 PMSearch tickets and tours on KlookElephant Mountain (Xiangshan) Trailhead
The Lingyun Temple entrance to Elephant Mountain, a steep urban trail with views toward Taipei 101.Entry: Partial closures during works; follow signed detoursSearch tickets and tours on KlookFort San Domingo, Tamsui
A historic fort above the Tamsui River, run by the Tamsui Historical Museum with two nearby sites.Entry: One ticket covers three sitesSearch tickets and tours on KlookGold Museum, Jinguashi
A museum park on the mountain mining town of Jinguashi, telling the story of its gold mines.Entry: First Monday closure moves to next day if a holidaySearch tickets and tours on KlookHoutong Cat Village, Ruifang
A former coal-mining town known for its cats, with mining relics and an old coal transportation bridge.Entry: Public village streetsJiufen Old Street, Jiufen
A narrow hillside lane of snack stalls, teahouses and shops in the old gold-mining town of Jiufen.Entry: Pay as you goLongshan Temple
A temple founded in 1740 in Wanhua, with hundreds of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian deities.Entry: Open 6 AM to 10 PMSearch tickets and tours on KlookNational Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
A white memorial hall with a blue roof and a vast plaza, built in memory of Taiwan's first president.Entry: Exhibitions freeSearch tickets and tours on KlookNational Palace Museum
Taiwan's national museum of Chinese art and imperial collections, in Shilin.Entry: Normally closed Mondays; check special openings. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookRaohe Street Night Market
Taiwan's first government-planned tourist night market, known for pepper buns and herbal pork rib soup.Entry: Pay as you goShengping Theater, Jiufen
A theater first built in 1916, the first in northern Taiwan, with a retro ticket window and old posters.Entry: NT$[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookShifen Old Street, Pingxi
A street of eateries and sky lantern shops where trains on the Pingxi Line pass right by the doorways.Entry: Pay as you goShifen Waterfall, Pingxi
A wide ledge waterfall on the Keelung River, often called Taiwan's Niagara, with a rainbow over its pool.Entry: NT$[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookTaipei 101 Observatory
Indoor and outdoor observation floors near the top of the Taipei 101 tower in Xinyi.Entry: Buy a general ticketSearch tickets and tours on KlookTaipei Confucius Temple
A temple to Confucius in Dalongdong, next to Baoan Temple and free to enter.Entry: Free to visit. Closed MondaysSearch tours on KlookTamsui Old Street, Tamsui
An old shopping street and riverside walkway known for A-Gei, fish balls, iron eggs and sunsets.Entry: Pay as you goYongkang Street
A lane in Da'an famous for its food, from dumpling houses to teahouses and cafes.Entry: Pay as you goQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Taiwan for a first trip?
Spend most of your time in and around Taipei: the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain, Longshan Temple and a night market such as Raohe Street. Add day trips to Jiufen and Jinguashi, Shifen on the Pingxi Line, and Tamsui for sunset. Then ride the high-speed rail south to Tainan for Dutch-era forts and old temples, and on to Kaohsiung for the Lotus Pond pagodas, the Cijin ferry and Pier-2.
Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Taiwan Tourism Administration (official); Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government); Tourism Administration, Taiwan; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)How many days do you need in Taiwan?
A week covers the essentials at a comfortable pace. Give Taipei three or four days, since the museum, the city sights and day trips to Jiufen, Shifen, Beitou and Tamsui each fill a good part of a day. Then take the high-speed rail to Tainan, about 1 hour 50 minutes, for a day or two of forts, temples and food, and finish in Kaohsiung, about 12 minutes further south by train, for a day.
Sources: Travel Tainan (Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government); Taiwan High Speed Rail; New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department (official)When is the best time to visit Taiwan for sightseeing?
Autumn, from September to November, brings the coolest and most comfortable weather for walking. Winter, from December to February, is short and mild in the lowlands, which suits hot springs in Beitou. Spring, from March to May, is the rainy season with frequent drizzle, so carry an umbrella. Summer, from June to August, is when typhoons sometimes approach or hit, so watch the forecasts. The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival takes place at the Lantern Festival.
Sources: Tourism Administration, Taiwan; Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)Which Taiwan attractions should you book ahead?
Few sights need advance booking, but some things are easier with it. Reserve high-speed rail seats online, especially for weekends and holidays, and look for early-bird discounts. Buy Taipei 101 observatory tickets online to skip the counter queue; discounted tickets are sold only on site. At the National Palace Museum, individual guided tours can be reserved in advance. Most temples, night markets and old streets need no tickets at all.
Sources: Taoyuan City Government Department of Tourism (official); Taipei 101; National Palace MuseumHow do you get around Taiwan?
The high-speed rail links Taipei with Tainan and Kaohsiung's Zuoying Station along the west coast. In Taipei, the MRT reaches most sights, and city buses fill the gaps, for example to the National Palace Museum. Pay with a stored-value EasyCard or iPASS, or tap a bank card or phone wallet at the MRT gates. Tourist shuttle bus 965 links central Taipei with Jiufen and Jinguashi. In Kaohsiung, use the MRT and light rail; avoid eating or drinking where Taipei MRT signs prohibit it.
Sources: Taipei Metro (official); National Palace Museum (official); New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department (official); Taipei Metro (official); Kaohsiung Rapid Transit CorporationDo you need cash in Taiwan, and should you tip?
The currency is the New Taiwan dollar. Major credit cards are accepted in many places, but carry some cash for small purchases, and small bills for city buses and the Cijin ferry, where no change is given. Exchange money at designated banks and hotels and keep the receipts, which you need to change leftover money back. As for tipping, hotels and restaurants customarily add a 10% service charge to the bill.
Sources: Tourism Administration, Taiwan; National Palace Museum (official); Kaohsiung City Ferry (official, Chinese text)